第28部分(第2/7 頁)

very　interesting　spot；　for　there　one　sees　a　part　of　the　world　in　the　making。　On　the　top　of　a　peak　is　a　green　area　of　soil　that　I　presume　owes　its　origin　to　the　droppings　of　sea…birds。　Below　is　bare　rock。　This　area　must　have　been　formed　within　recent　times；　say　during　the　last　500；000　years；　and　in　another　million　or　so　of　years　doubtless　it　will　have　spread　all　over　the　island。　The　processes　of　nature　are　distinctly　slow。

In　some　mysterious　way　my　turtle　got　lost　in　the　London　Docks。　Personally　I　thought　the　occurrence　fortunate；　for　what　would　have　been　done　with　the　creature　if　I　had　succeeded　in　conveying　it　safely　to　Bradenham　Hall　still　alive　and　flapping；　I　cannot　conceive。　Imagine　the　local　butcher　confronted　with　a　turtle；　imagine　the　domestic　cook　and　the　quantities　of　soup　that　would　have　resulted；　if　it　ever　got　so　far　as　soup！　I　pointed　all　this　out　to　my　father；　but　he　took　another　view。　He　wanted　his　turtle　and　said　so；　often；　and　alas！　it　had　vanished　in　the　London　Docks。　Probably　a　steward　sold　it　to　a　City　pany　on　the　sly。　A　sportive　passenger　on　the　ship　made　a　rhyme　on　the　matter。　It　began：

’Tis　true；　O　my　Father；　from　distant　lands　I’ve　e；　a　bad　penny；　back　on　your　hands；　But　when　once　you　have　tasted　this　nice　green　fat；　You　won’t　care；　O　my　parent；　one　kipper　for　that。

The　trouble　was　that　he　never　did　“taste　that　nice　green　fat。”

However；　things　righted　themselves　by　degrees；　as　somehow　they　generally　do　when　one　is　young　and　not　afraid　to　take　chances。　To　begin　with；　not　long　after　my　arrival　in　England　I　did　the　wisest　and　best　deed　of　my　life　and　engaged　myself　to　be　married。

The　young　lady　whom　I　met　thirty…two　years　ago；　and　who　is　today；　God　be　thanked；　living；　and　strong　enough　to　have　ent　last　week；　was　n